Virgil Ward

[Kelroy]

Nice topic guys- brings back fond memories. I don't remember seeing Bill Dance, or Roland Martin, they must have been on one of the networks we couldn't get on the rabbit ears. I do remember being fascinated with Virgil's aquarium (I wanted one SO bad). He turned me on to beetle spins, Uncle Josh, and of course Johnson's Silver Minnow spoons.

[Smalliebigs]

World of Virgil Ward........

[laker67]

Good topic, brings back memories as well. I watched Virgil and Harold Ensley as a kid. I have an uncle, who was in the sporting goods business, that fished and quail hunted with Harold and his son. Do any of you old time bennett fishermen remember when Virgil hosted a trout derby, at bennett, in october of 75?

[skeeter]

World of Virgil Ward........

Smalliebigs I didn't think you were old enough to remember Virgil. I always wanted to get him a larger aquarium for his demos. I'll still tie on a Beetle Spin occasionally and catch some fish on one. Not many fish today have seen them before and they work well for beginner's use being semi-weedless.

When you wanted the latest fishing reports in print you always went to the pages of Friday's Globe-Democrat Sports Section and read their reports. The Post never paid much attention to the Outdoors scene (just like they blow off motorsports) and their staffing of that desk showed it. George Carson was also the PR guy for the Globe and wrote some good articles on the outdoors for them. He used to amaze the crowds at the original St. Louis Boat Shows at the old Arena annex by shooting aspirin out of the air with a BB gun. His Son-in-law, Bill Seibel, took over that job when George retired.

If you remember watching Jerry McGinnis' show he always wore a STL Cardinal ball cap. I think someone said he was in their minor-league system at one time ?

"Oh Son" always came across as a blow-hard and a shill, maybe he's different in real life ?

[Gatorjet]

While you are bringing back all the classic TV fishing greats, and pioneers of outdoor entertainment I have to mention a St. Louis classic. Mr. George Carson. Not only a classic, but also a real class gentleman!

The answer given to the Post Dispatch writer from Roland Martin's wife when they tried to contact him was that they "re-created" the actual catching of the fish. Because of lighting conditions where and when the fish were originally caught. They went to a similar area with the proper light. Still sounds like Hollywood to me!

[ColdWaterFshr]

Let us not forget Paul Dallas who paved the way. Eldest cousin of Jimmy Houston . . . Paul got caught in a perpetual vortex of being ahead of his time with PURE fishing genius that often led to others amassed wealth at the expense of his own. Just as frequent as his brilliance were the unfortunate circumstances leading to inevitable scandal. Like MC Hammer or Frank Sinatra . . . he never concerned himself with the the type of company he kept, which didn't help in the topsy turvy, drug and alcohol fueled television fishing show industry of the late 60s and 70s. Fame and fortune were never his to enjoy here in this country even though his shows are still in syndication in Japan and he is wildly popular in North Korea where he is a worshipped as a demi-God to this day. He now spends his time in seclusion, splitting his time between incarceration, strip bars, and the wooded hillsides of Dent, Taney, and Oregon counties. Occasionally he is recognized purchasing Tito's and Dunhill's at convenience stores along the lonely by-ways of this great state. And is gone as quickly as he appeared.

All the others mentioned in this thread are not fit to carry Pauls tackle box down the boat ramp. Not even the late great Virgil Ward. They know who came first.

[fishinwrench]

The man speaks truth. Once when Rick Clunn was asked about the devil worshipping rumor that was going around about him, Clunn responded, "well for starters it ain't the devil...it's Paul Dallas"

[dave potts]

If he is a semi-god in North Korea, maybe the state dept. should hire him to go over there and talk some sense into those folks before they start WWlll.

Dave

[zipstick]

Let us not forget Paul Dallas who paved the way. Eldest cousin of Jimmy Houston . . . Paul got caught in a perpetual vortex of being ahead of his time with PURE fishing genius that often led to others amassed wealth at the expense of his own. Just as frequent as his brilliance were the unfortunate circumstances leading to inevitable scandal. Like MC Hammer or Frank Sinatra . . . he never concerned himself with the the type of company he kept, which didn't help in the topsy turvy, drug and alcohol fueled television fishing show industry of the late 60s and 70s. Fame and fortune were never his to enjoy here in this country even though his shows are still in syndication in Japan and he is wildly popular in North Korea where he is a worshipped as a demi-God to this day. He now spends his time in seclusion, splitting his time between incarceration, strip bars, and the wooded hillsides of Dent, Taney, and Oregon counties. Occasionally he is recognized purchasing Tito's and Dunhill's at convenience stores along the lonely by-ways of this great state. And is gone as quickly as he appeared.

All the others mentioned in this thread are not fit to carry Pauls tackle box down the boat ramp. Not even the late great Virgil Ward. They know who came first.

Didn't ever know about Dallas. Did he fish the Ozarks lakes primarily? Did he ever fish with Same Welch? And while we're at it, the earliest produced fishing shows I can remember in fresh water were of Verne "Gadabout" Gaddis, the Flying Fisherman. He started a radio fishing show in the '30's before there was TV, and was creted with the first fishing televised show in the 1950's. Unfortunately, he lived along the east coast, not in the Ozarks.

[Greg]

I remember watching both Virgil Ward and Harold Ensley. One of them did a show at Roaring River years ago. They were catching trout on dry flies. I remember thinking that was the coolest thing I had ever seen. Anyone else remember that one and which one (Ensley or Ward) it was?

Greg